Rig Veda 6.36.3: Mandala 6, Sukta 36, Mantra 3
Sukta 6.36
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
तं सध्रीचीरूतयो वृष्ण्यानि पौंस्यानि नियुतः सश्चुरिन्द्रम् । समुद्रं न सिन्धव उक्थशुष्मा उरुव्यचसं गिर आ विशन्ति ॥
táṃ sadhṛ́cīr ūtáyo vṛ́ṣṇyāni páuṃsyāni niyútaḥ saścur índram | samudráṃ ná síndhava uktháśuṣmā uruvyácasaṃ gíra ā́ viśanti ||
इंद्र के पास सारे मददगार और ताकत एक साथ आ जाती हैं। जैसे नदियाँ समुंदर में जाके मिल जाती हैं, वैसे ही यह सब गाने और स्तुतियाँ इंद्र तक पहुँच जाती हैं। इंद्र बहुत बड़े हैं, सब उनमें समा जाते हैं।
Word by Word
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (स्तुत्य/प्राप्त्य-विषयः)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सध्रीचीः
- straight/true-directedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (उतयः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root सध्रीच् (प्रातिपदिक; सध्रीच् ‘एकदिश/सम्यक्-प्रवृत्त’)
- ऊतयः
- helps, aidsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot ऊति- (प्रातिपदिक; √अव्/√ऊ ‘रक्षण/सहाय’)
- वृष्ण्यानि
- manly powers, heroic strengthsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (समुच्चितम्; ‘नि-युतः’ इत्यस्य सह)Root वृष्ण्य- (प्रातिपदिक; वृषन्-सम्बद्ध ‘वीर्य/बल’)
- पौंस्यानि
- manly deeds, virilitiesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (समुच्चितम्)Root पौंस्य- (प्रातिपदिक; पुम्स्-सम्बद्ध ‘पौरुष’)
- नियुतः
- yoked teams (of horses), harnessingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (वैदिके -उत्-प्रातिपदिकस्य)Role कर्तृ (समुच्चितम्)Root नियुत्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘युग्म/रथ-योजन’)
- सश्चुः
- have accompanied, have followedVerbलिट् (परोक्षभूत) परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role क्रिया (कर्तृभिः ‘ऊतयः…’)Root √सच् (सचँ समवाये/अनुगमने)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- समुद्रम्
- oceanNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म/उपमान-आधार (उपमेयस्य ‘इन्द्रम्’ विशेषण-रूपेण)Root समुद्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role सम्बन्ध (उपमा-सूचकः)Root न (उपमा-निपात)
- सिन्धवः
- riversNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot सिन्धु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- उक्थशुष्माः
- having the strength of hymns / hymn-strongAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (गिरः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root उक्थ-शुष्म (समास; उक्थ ‘स्तोत्र’ + शुष्म ‘बल/तेज’)
- उरुव्यचसम्
- wide-spreading, far-reachingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (वि-शन्ति इत्यस्य; इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Root उरु-व्यचस् (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय; उरु ‘विस्तीर्ण’ + व्यचस् ‘व्याप्ति/प्रसार’)
- गिरः
- songs, hymnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot गिर्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableअव्ययम् (उपसर्गः)Role क्रियाविशेषण (आगमन/अभिमुख्य)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- विशन्ति
- enter, go intoVerbलट् परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role क्रिया (कर्तृ ‘गिरः’)Root √विश् (विशँ प्रवेशने)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसनम्): तं | सध्रीचीः | ऊतयः | वृष्ण्यानि | पौंस्यानि | नियुतः | सश्चुः | इन्द्रम् || समुद्रं | न | सिन्धवः | उक्थशुष्माः | उरुव्यचसम् | गिरः | आ | विशन्ति || 1) ‘सश्चुरिन्द्रम्’ = सश्चुः + इन्द्रम् (विसर्ग-लोप/सन्धिः)
- 2) ‘समुद्रं न’ इत्यत्र अनुस्वारः पदान्तः
- 3) ‘उक्थशुष्मा’ इति संहितायां प्रथमा-बहुवचन ‘उक्थशुष्माः’ (विसर्गः पदान्ते)
- 4) ‘गिर आ’ = गिरः + आ (विसर्गस्य लोपः संहितायाम्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
To Indra, harmonious aids and virile powers gather closely; as rivers enter the ocean, so powerful hymn-songs enter the wide-pervading Indra.
Inner meaning
All supportive movements of the being (ūtayaḥ) and the soul’s heroic energies (vṛṣṇyāni, pauṃsyāni) converge toward the illumined Mind (Indra). When aspiration becomes many-streamed yet concordant, every current of thought and speech (giraḥ), charged with mantra-force (uktha-śuṣmāḥ), pours into a vast, all-pervading consciousness (uruvyacasaṃ)—the inner ‘sea’ of luminous awareness where separative currents end.
Universal truth
When the faculties align toward a higher intelligence, scattered efforts become one river-system of aspiration; concentrated speech and intention naturally merge into an expansive, unifying consciousness that carries the seeker beyond fragmentation.
Themes
hymn-as-force, convergence, ocean-consciousness, Indra-integration
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 6.36.1, Rig Veda 6.36.2, Rig Veda 6.36.4, Rig Veda 6.37.1
Family tradition
Bārhaspatya (priestly-seer lineage emphasizing inspired speech, brahman, and the conquest of obscurity through mantra and illumination)
Significance
Bharadvāja’s Indra hymns often describe the psychology of the inner sacrifice: the gathering of powers, the calling of illumination, and the widening into a vast consciousness where inspired word becomes an instrument of transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- uruvyacasa (wide-pervading), uktha-śuṣman (strong through hymns), vṛṣan (bull/forceful)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Lord of luminous Mind and victorious power; breaker of obstructions; establisher of the paths for the waters/rays.
Inner power
The illumined intelligence that unifies the faculties, concentrates aspiration, and releases the streams of insight into a single vast awareness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotras within Soma-yajña sequences (general Indra praise; not uniquely restricted)
तं स॒ध्रीची॑रू॒तयो॒ वृष्ण्या॑नि॒ पौंस्या॑नि नि॒युत॑: सश्चु॒रिन्द्र॑म् । स॒मु॒द्रं न सिन्ध॑व उ॒क्थशु॑ष्मा उरु॒व्यच॑सं॒ गिर॒ आ वि॑शन्ति ॥
तम् । स॒ध्रीचीः॑ । ऊ॒तयः॑ । वृष्ण्या॑नि । पौंस्या॑नि । नि॒ऽयुतः॑ । सश्चुः॑ । इन्द्र॑म् । स॒मु॒द्रम् । न । सिन्ध॑वः । उ॒क्थऽशु॑ष्माः । उ॒रु॒ऽव्यच॑सम् । गिरः॑ । आ । वि॒श॒न्ति॒ ॥
tam | sadhrīcīḥ | ūtayaḥ | vṛṣṇyāni | paiṃsyāni | ni-yutaḥ | saścuḥ | indram | samudram | na | sindhavaḥ | uktha-śuṣmāḥ | uru-vyacasam | giraḥ | ā | viśanti
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (Triṣṭubh cadence)
Forward-driving, expansive, suited to heroic gathering and wide movement.
Builds a sense of convergence and widening; the rhythm feels like many currents joining into one surge.
- सध्रीचीः (sadhrīcīḥ)
- Literal: concordant, moving together. Symbolic: harmonised inner forces; aligned faculties in sadhana
- ऊतयः (ūtayaḥ)
- Literal: helps, aids. Symbolic: supporting powers—intuitions, protections, assisting movements of consciousness
- वृष्ण्यानि (vṛṣṇyāni)
- Literal: bull-like, virile strengths. Symbolic: heroic dynamism; force of illumination that can break resistance
- पौंस्यानि (pauṃsyāni)
- Literal: manly powers. Symbolic: soul-force/courage (vīrya) in the vital and mental being
- नियुतः (niyutaḥ)
- Literal: in close union; yoked/assembled. Symbolic: gathered energies under one intent; yoked powers of action
- समुद्र (samudra)
- Literal: ocean. Symbolic: vast consciousness; the Infinite/inner plenitude
- सिन्धवः (sindhavaḥ)
- Literal: rivers. Symbolic: streams of thought, aspiration, and experience flowing to the One
- उक्थशुष्माः (uktha-śuṣmāḥ)
- Literal: strong with hymn-force. Symbolic: mantric speech empowered by tapas and inspired intensity
- उरुव्यचसम् (uruvyacasaṃ)
- Literal: wide-pervading. Symbolic: all-pervading awareness; Indra as expansive luminous Mind
- गिरः (giraḥ)
- Literal: songs/utterances. Symbolic: articulated aspiration; formative word that shapes consciousness
Stotra-image of hymns entering Indra; supports collective recitation where utterance is conceived as a force-stream converging on the deity
During Soma pressing/praise cycles; also as general invocation for strength and illumination
Recitation/chanting of stotra-śastra praising Indra; offering Soma/oblations with mantra
Use as a unifying mantra before meditation or group practice to harmonize scattered energies into one aspiration.
√sac 'to follow, accompany' (sashcuḥ): convergence of powers upon Indra. samudra as a frequent Vedic symbol for vastness/totality; here the wide consciousness receiving the mantra-streams. uktha (hymn) + śuṣma (force) shows the idea that speech becomes power when aligned with truth-intent.
unity of powers (sadhṛcīḥ), mantra as shakti (uktha-śuṣma), vast consciousness (samudra as symbol)
The ‘concordant helps’ image expresses Ṛta: many movements aligning to one true direction.
Wide-pervading Indra suggests Truth as vastness (bṛhat) that receives all sincere currents.
Convergence of many streams into the One; integration as a creative act of consciousness.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-psychological reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): Indra as illumined Mind leading to wideness (bṛhat).
Rivers = multiple movements of aspiration and thought; Ocean = vast unified consciousness; entering = surrender/merging of separate formations into the One Mind-Light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The confluence myth: many streams (powers, hymns) entering the ocean (Indra as vast consciousness). It encodes integration—multiplicity gathered into a single sovereign force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √viś 'enter' reflects PIE *weyḱ-/*wis- 'settle/enter' (connections discussed in IE linguistics). The river-to-sea poetic formula is pan-IE in spirit: movement of many into one as an image of totality.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s speech is not descriptive but operative: giraḥ as force-streams enter Indra, implying that the act of praise is a joining of human energies to the divine vastness that can then act in the world and the soul.
Collect the scattered energies of mind-vital into one stream and offer them to the inner Indra (illumined mind).
Ājñā (brow)
Nadi-śodhana style balancing, then 6–6 slow breathing while mentally ‘gathering rivers into the sea’.
From dispersed mental activity to unified, widened awareness (bṛhat).
Begin by sensing multiple inner ‘currents’ (thoughts, impulses). Do not suppress—harmonize them toward a single aspiration. Let mantra-recitation feel like streams entering a silent vastness.
Mixed udātta/anudātta with svarita on sandhi; follow Śākala accentuation—key lifts often on deity-name ‘’ and semantic peaks like ‘’.
Keep udātta crisp on principal nouns/verbs; avoid flattening compounds (uktha-śuṣmāḥ, uruvyacasaṃ). Slight caesura after ‘’
sadhrīcīḥ: hold long ī clearly, vṛṣṇyāni: retroflex ṛ and ṣṇy cluster—do not insert extra vowel, pauṃsyāni: nasalized ‘auṃ’ distinct, sindhavaḥ: soft ‘dh’ not ‘d’, uruvyacasaṃ: articulate vy smoothly
Resonant, gathering to a fuller tone on the ‘river-to-sea’ clause; end with a sense of widening.
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